Happy Birthday Adrian and Melody!!!!

Hello My Sweets!! How is your weekend going?? This weather is driving me nuts, how about you? It can't make up its mind, warm, cold, wet, dry, snow, UGHH!!!! But regardless I was on a mission this week to find some special inspiration for a cake for two very special sweethearts, who were celebrating their beautiful birthday's this week.

So I racked my brain, for an idea that would be great for both a boy and a girl, he age 9 and she age 6.  Thinking about what they like to do and watch, I came up with a Super Idea for these two gorgeous super siblings! One of the favorite past times around is sitting back and laughing as you hear I'm Mario, I want to be peach, or get me out the bubble! The game they are talking about is Super Mario Bros, or any version. Who hasn't played Super Mario, Mario Kart, Mario World and so on, its a game franchise that's been out for every one loves it! Its as popular now as it has always been if not more so. So I decided for these little cuties, something super was in order!

Got the theme I wanted, now I was wondering how would I execute my plan, and how I wanted it to look!  Right to work I went on making some icing, ( sugar free of course kids are hyper enough with out added sugar haha!!) and decided Yoshi's Egg was gonna be my base, with some daisy flowers.  I have been practicing the sculpting of figures and designs with the cakes, but I decided I wanted this cake to double as part of the birthday gift for these two sweet peas, so on a search I went for Super Mario Figurines to help and I found them!  Now this is  really a neat trick, because nothing beats the eyes going wide with surprise and excitement when first sigh of  the cake, but also the fact that some new toys. What can I say other than Priceless! And That was just their father!  

It was a special Day and I was so happy to be a part of it, and so happy that I could do something special for these kids that mean so much to me. They couldn't wait to blow out the candles and dive in and rip it apart. You had to hear all the adults yell no wait, it was a moment that made it even greater!  What a great celebration, can't wait to do it again and share it with all you!! Till next week...

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!!

HOOWWW YOOUUUU DOOOIIINNNN???

How you Doin??? ( Where my Wendy Fan's at) .Another week of a crazy of ever changing schedules but I have been working on some great idea's to share with you! Plus I've been practicing, getting ready for a special cake that someone has asked for!

  So What do you all think?? I was fooling around in the Lab working on a special test cake for a special occasion.  I decided like always to get a little wild and crazy, I know what else is knew.  This wonderful cake you see, is just a bunch of ideas I was trying, with a few techniques I've learned over the years that I was practicing. You see I am making a very special cake this weekend for two very special people close to my heart. And I wanted to try out some ideas, kick around a few things to see what might be good what won't work. 

Ok so I decided lets test some of the ideas in my head. First this yummy cake you see is 100 % sugar free, which is why I was testing some techniques!  In my experience and adventure trying to find some yummy sugar free recipes I have found that the icing sometimes either has a funky taste ( thankfully I have worked out a great recipe you wouldn't even tell the difference and funky after taste)  The icing since it is sugar free also have a tendency to not be easy to decorate with. It is either to sticky or too runny or won't hold the shape I'm trying to make. I have found the perfect balance though is making the icing and keeping it sugar free and holding the shape.  Check out the roses!! This of course took time and patience.  Which I can say if you ever decide to try your hand at decorating, I suggest taking your time and practice. 

So As you can see, not only was I testing the technique, I was using coloring as well! With the sugar free icing when you add a little bit of coloring ( remember food coloring a little goes a llooooonnngggg waaayyy) it can also help in making your icing get a little thin. Heres a quick tip, after you mix the color in and place it in your piping bag stick it int he fridge. When working with icing it can warm up quickly and this makes it hard to work with.  Keeping it cold does help keep it firm, and so much easier to work with! So I got crazy decided to make green icing, ( mostly cause the special cake I'm making will have green in it, so I had to test it) And Also I was testing a new sugar free chocolate icing recipe that I had. Plus the contrasting colors actually make it pop! Now depending on the decorating your doing, is how you decide how stiff your icing should be.Take the roses, which I left white, for example. To make flowers you need very stiff icing, which gives your hand a good work out. That's why I left them white, cause I wanted to see how it would come out.  Next time I'm adding color!  I was also testing the writing technique and got inspiration from Ms. Wendy Williams ! I was all soft and pink!!

Ok My Sweets I'm off, have a lot of work to do for this weekends very special cake! I hope you are excited to see what I'm going to be doing. I have a vision in my head, and I want to make sure it comes out perfect.   Make sure to check back next week, and let me know what you think!! Also Remember to comment on this cake!! I want to see what you guys think of the test cake.

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!!

Guess Whose Back!!

Hello My Sweets!! Miss me?? I missed you!! I'm so so sorry I've been M.I.A.  Let me fill you in on whats been going on! Well First, as you may all know, we in a recession  and we all got to have a day job, including me! Lately my employer has been acting nuts with my schedule and changing it at least 5 times a day. When I mean changing I mean telling me one time, then 5 minutes later telling me another, and then another and another, and he has also sent me email 5 minutes before I'm about to leave to tell me another time . Needless to say its been crazy and I have not had a chance to get up in the lab and create some goodies to share with you!  He keeps promising that the schedule will even it out soon, however he does keep changing, so until then I have made the decision that my once daily blog, will be a weekly one, because I don't want to leave you guys out of all the fun! So please bare with me, and thank you so much to everyone who has been following and sending us messages of love! 

Okay so another thing we have been doing is that thanks to a very good friend ( Yeah you!!) we were informed of a great baking contest for Martha Stewart, and we have been working on a great recipe which we submitted and hopefully we will be considered in the running. As soon as we get more info my sweets I'm sending you all messages to vote vote vote for us!

Ok, so now that you know all the crazy that has been keeping me busy, lets get down to the nitty gritty of a great sweet that we created. How many of you have wished for a wonderful donut? Or perhaps that you had a Dunkin Donuts right in your house, or that they even at the least delivered?  Well someone in my house was wishing that very thing, so I decided to remuage  through my baking closet and look through my molds to see what I had.  Now There are lots of ways to make donuts, and there are lots of recipes. I was lucky enough to receive as a gift a donut mold a while back and decided what better time to use it. 

I was watching one of those America's Greatest Food Shows one night on tv, where they featured a dinner that was known for potato donuts which they called ponuts. Yeah not kidding, the batter was made from potato flower, I've never heard of such a thing so it sent me on a quest to look what other recipes I could find , and see what other types of batters people were using. My quest did not disappoint either and I found tons of different recipes from all over, and I had fun experimenting with them all and making my up my own as well. Needless to  say that donut craver in my house has been one happy camper! I have found in all of my experiments that this ponut thing is great, cause its light and not as heavy, and can easily be made sugar free and taste amazing.

The fun part was decorating them after as well/ I made some look like a very famous donut from the Simpsons, ( Oh Homer!) Luckily with the mold I was able to make all types that you can find at your favorite donut hole, but I have also been working on some other donuts that would be made without the use of the mold, and having fun doing so. Krispy Kream got nothing on me! I really suggest that everyone try this at least once. It was a messy adventure, but a fun one too!!

Well my sweets I'm off, to create the next great idea for you guys. Thank you all again for the love and support, and baring with us as our schedule has gotten nutty! I will keep you all updated on our adventures! Remember to please donate to our march of babies too while there is still time! Love you all!! Till next week...

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!!

This minty refreshing treat is for you my friend in Cali!!

Hello My Sweets! What a couple of days it has been. Our hearts and prayers go out to all those in Japan and hope that all those missing are found alive and well. We also would like to send our well wishes to those in our region who are suffering from the recent flooding. We wish you a speedy recovery.

So My Sweets,  I am still going through all the requests all of you made, and I came across one from a good friend of mine, a request I see more as a challenge. This friend mentioned they were craving the famous Shamrock Shake from Mcds, but alas could not have it with out getting sick. Well my friend from the west, challenge not only accepted but challenge won! I made a minty fresh, froze treat that is good for all!!  Okay so I know a fair amount of people who are lactose intolerant, ( meaning dairy, like milk, no good for the tum tum), and although when you go to the grocery store there are more options becoming available, sometimes a nice homemade treat hits the spot.

In the laboratory I went into my closet to dig out an my ice cream maker. I actually love this thing, and on top of that it is can make 2 flavors at one time!  I grabbed some ingredients I needed, and got to work mixing up some lactose free ice cream.  In keeping with one of my favorite flavors, and the fact that St. Patty's is right around the corner, I made a sweet mint, and added some green coloring!!  This treat will make that Shake rock its shams!  To keep it simple all I did was top it off with a nice mint cookie, ( which btw does anyone know a girl scoot I'm running low lol).

Weather has been warming up or trying to, and this refreshing treat is a great way to welcome in the Spring which is also just around the corner!! Remember to say a prayer to all those devastated  by the recent events, and hold those you love closer.  Off to create another request my sweets, till tomorrow...

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!!

Today is a day for Thought and Prayer....

In the early hours of the morning a very large earthquake hit Japan and many very strong aftershocks are still causing destruction. The earthquake caused a powerful tsunami that not only hit  the shores of Japan, but is  hitting Hawaii and also up and down the west coast. Today we are sending all of our thoughts and prayers to those affected by this devastation.  We are also keeping those in New Jersey Affected by the severe flooding caused by all the rain in the east  in our thoughts and prayers as well.   We wish everyone a speedy recovery.

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!!

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Told you I'm gonna keep promoting this till you donate or join the walk!!!!!

Happy Baking From Bradley Sweets!!

Down South getting Messy and Dirrrrrtttyyyy!!

Don't you love when Hump Day rolls around my sweets?? Have a fun Fat Tuesday yesterday?? So Who got the trinkit, as luck would have it I did!! Your still throwing the party, you know who you are... I bring the cake though!! So you might remember that yesterday I mentioned today we would be staying in the south for our treats, and I meant it.  Whose ready for a messy classic that reminds you have your childhood?

Picture it, summer of 85 in a small town in New Jersey, two young children around age 3 are playing in the yard.  The little boy has a bucket of water that he splashes at the ground and the little girl in her brand new pink dress covered in dirt is making a big old mess.  The little boy impatiently waits for his mud pie, that he of course plans on throwing at the little girl when she least expects it.  Except he doesn't anticipate the fact that she has a hidden mud pie and when he goes to sit down she smushes it in his hair. That little girl , she was me, and that little boy, well he was Charlie Sheen!  HAHA no not really Charlie Sheen, it was my cousin but his name has been changed for reasons unknown!  Did you also enjoy the Gold Girls set up to the story, just a little nod to one of my favorite shows, but it served as a good hint to todays request!  That's right, Mississippi + Mud = Decadence!!

Ok So if your not familiar with this cake, let me tell you something about it. Its a simple cake, you can make it as a pie your choice of course,  with cheap ingredients you find at the store. Its said that this cake originated in Mississippi, ( well Duh that must be how it got its name Winning , sorry Charlie Sheen again, gosh darn tiger blood!) and looked kinda like the banks of the along side of that river, you know the one, oh whats the name,  I'm sure it will come to me later!

Well like the fast pace of a running river to the Labratory I went ( aka my Kitchen) and grabbed some ingredients to make this yummy gooey mud cake!  Ok no you can add nuts to this if you want, but again I'm going nut free. Not cause I don't like nuts, or that I'm allergic,  just cause I feel like it! Okay now when I make Mississippi Mud cake, it brings back some memories of when I was young making mud pies and getting messy, so you can bet your butter socks that I want to make this as messy as possible! So here are some tips that I have that can help you make this as yummy and gooey as possible. After pouring your batter in the pan take some frozen chocolate and place a couple of pieces through out the cake. As the cake backs the chocolate will slowly sink and melt into the cake. That way when you take a bit it will have a yummy melty chocolate pour out! While your cake is baking  I like to get my topping ready, cause I like to put it one just before the cake is done. So take some chocolate  ( I like to keep it in the freezer that way it melts slower and doesn't burn easily) and some marshmallow fluff ( you can find it in the baking aisle near the marshmallows, grab a bag of those while your there) and start mixing the broken up chocolate or chocolate chips into the fluff and throw in some extra marshmallows as well . Fluff is sticky so have fun with it! So once you have it all mixed , and your cake is a little more than half way down, take the cake out of the oven, and spread the ooey gooey mixture on the top of your cake, and stick it back in the oven. The fluff and chocolate will melt, and so will the marshmallows which once they start to turn golden you know your cake is ready!

Now nothing beats this cake warm and first thing out of the oven, thats when its at it most messy, however if by some odd reason you have left over of this cake, just pop it in the microwave for like 20 seconds or so warm it up, and its just like straight from the oven!

Well well my sweets, I don't know about you, but request week is a whole lotta fun! We might do it again some time! Thanks for this messy request! Remember everyone is you want to visit us on Facebook or on Twitter you can, and if you would like an recipes or tips just sends us a message! We love hearing from all our friends!!  I'm off my sweets I got to get me a piece of that cake before its all gone! Please don't break the door down trying to get in to get a piece! You know who you are!!  Make sure to check back tomorrow, when we share another request  from one of our sweet friends!!

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!!

How To Be Royal on Fat Tuesday!!

Happy Fat Tuesday my sweets!! Thank you so much for all the wonderful request, I'm definitely going to be getting to all of them. One Request in particular came from a very special someone who wanted a taste of New Orleans, and because its Fat Tuesday I thought what better time to whip out the beads and get ready for some yummy KING CAKE! King Cake is actually very popular two times a year, during Christmas because it is also called 3 kings cake, and most popularly during Mardi Gras here in the states!

Running to the Kitchen I made sure to grab the trinket for inside the cake and got all my ingredients ready.  Traditionally this cake, has a cinnamon, nut and raisins filling, however I opted the nuts out.   After I got the filling ready I made my pastry dough which was fun! I love making dough!! Mainly because of the mess I always make but you know what, chicken butt! Just kidding, but no really I do love making a mess because it is a sign that I was having fun in the kitchen. To me that is one of the most important ingredient when baking, fun, it makes your treat that much sweeter! So I got my dough ready and gave it a good helping of the filling ( and hit the trinket ) and put it in the oven to bake up nice and golden!

Ok so while it got ready I had to go to my cubby to make sure I have some of my color sprinkles for the top of my cake, because what kind of Mardi Gras King Cake would it be with out the traditional colors green, purple, and yellow.  Now you might have noticed I mentioned a trinket twice, and I bet your wondering, oh lordy is she off her rocker again she is sticking things in the cake. HAHA very funny, but no I haven't lost my mind, that was lost a long time ago, instead this cake always has a small trinket baked in side of the cake, traditional it is a baby Jesus.  Who ever gets the piece that has the baby Jesus is actually said to be the King ( or queen, this cake is not sexist!) for the day and the next time everyone gets together is supposed to either throw the party, or bring the cake! Yeah I'm looking at  you, you better get that piece, cause you throw one hellava party! Woo Woo!!

Cakes Ready, and I got some Beads, but I want some more! In the words of My grandmother give them a little shimmy shimmy!! Everyone is invited to the Fat Tuesday Celebration, might not have the parade floats, but the drinks will be flowing and the Beads will be flying, and I'm sure the imagination would be soaring!! Remember to check out tomorrow when we keep it up with the Dirty South Theme and visit Mississippi for a wonderfully messy treat!

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!!

Kicking off Request Week!

Hey Everyone, We are kicking of Request Week! What yummy Idea would you like to see Bradley Sweets put its twist on? Remember to comment below, or please visit us on Twitter @bradleysweets or friend us on Facebook Bradley Sweets . We look forward to hearing all of your request, and seeing you lined up at the door! Don't forget to vote in this weeks poll too, What fruit do you love to star in  your favorite dessert?  Also please remember to visit my March for Babies . Its a great cause, we would love to see you join or walk or you can donate whatever amount you like from $1 to $1000, any help is a great help!

Minty Fresh!!

Gorgeous weather calls for a refreshing treat my sweets! Now for all of you that voted, Caramel won the most addicting flavor poll, however mint is taking center stage to show its not to be forgotten! 

This morning when I woke up and was cuddled in bed relaxing, one of my favorite past times on a Saturday, I came across a show on the Food Network called Big Daddy's House.  I have watched it a time or two and gotten some great ideas, today I got a most special idea from a dessert he was making. He made something cherry flavor, however I wanted to try it out with mint and it was a smashing success! I like to refer to this dish as Mint Custard Jubilee!

In the laboratory I whipped up a quick home made custard, which is basically pudding. While my custard simmered, I stirred in some yummy mint flavoring. Here is a fun fact for you, most of the time you seem something mint flavored its typically green in color, however when you add mint flavoring that is not what turns it green! The green coloring usually comes from food coloring. You bet your bippy I added some to my custard, cause I'm going for a Green Theme, with St Patty's just right around the corner.  I wanted my custard to have a very subtle green color ( you can't even notice in pictures its green, however in person its a a pale color, very pleasing to the eye)  to go with the very subtle mint flavor. If your using mint, I suggest the less is more tactic. Mint can be very over powering, but just a hint is a wonderful refreshing taste. 

To top off my sweet treat I decided to crush up a little graham cracker, with some mint chocolate cookie, ( kinda like the girl scout but not as good!) and placed it on top. I then added my mixture to a nice wine glass just to make the presentation a little snazzy! And what I wound up with was a yummy classy little after dinner treat, perfect for a romantic dinner with someone special.

Well my sweets I'm off to the circus. No literally I'm off to the circus to see some fabulous Elephants, and those lovable clowns! I'm sure I will get a lot of fun inspiration! Till Tomorrow...

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!!

What a pregnant Woman Wants....

TGIF again my Sweets!! Aren't you happy for the weekend?  It's March and weather is doing its best to get warmer. Now when you think warmer weather you start thinking oh I want to go and enjoy some summer treats and all that fun stuff, and one particular friend of mine who is with baby is having some warm weather cravings! Except like many of the other pregnant people that seem to be around me, ( i'm sticking to the story that their is something in the water so many pregnant women around me, ) she wanted something sweet, however she wanted a burger, did I mention she is Vegetarian? Yeah that's right.... Vegetarian!!  So I took an idea I got from a lady I met years ago and ran to the kitchen to cook up a sweet burger! 

Now I know you may ask, how on earth are you going to make a sweet burger, thats is also something a vegetarian would enjoy? Sure I could tell her go to store buy a veggie burger, but again, she is having a little bundle of joy and I love babies so I wanted to help out! So for those of you who follow along in the blog, you might remember a while ago when I mentioned the nilla wafer burger? Well I took it up a notch, because that is a nice little cookie idea however, my dear friend wanted it to be as burger like as possible.  When you think of burgers what do you think of? Soft bun, lettuce, ketchup, tomatoes, and whatever other things you like to add right.  This particular burger we are going to keep it old fashioned, and that includes being soft bun! 

Here is how I made the yummy treat! Mix up some yummy cake batter then grab a cookie sheet. Take a spoon and just drop some dollops of batter on your cookie sheet.  You can make them small like your making some cookies, or if you want to make it bigger that works too. Because batter does rise and expand a little you want to make sure that your dollop of better is a nice amount.  Keep a close eye on them in the oven, cause they cook quick! After you've taken them out the oven  and set them aside to cool off, start mixing some icing with the different colors you need.  I made some chocolate icing for the patty, some yellow for mustard , red for ketchup and green for lettuce. Again we were doing this simple, I have tried this and added little things to it, like purple onion, cheese, bacon using icing and or candy!

So you first want to take a couple of your cake cookies and ice them with chocolate icing to make our "patty".  Once you have them ready take an un iced cake cookie and place one of the chocolate iced ones on top, then you can drizzle some of your different colored icing before placing the top cake cookie on. Now you can drizzle, or if you have different tips and a piping bag, you can make the lettuce leaves and things like that to make it as realistic to fool all the foodies waiting to enjoy!

Well My Sweets, I hope you enjoyed this Fridays yummy treat. I'm off to make a pregnant lady very happy when she gets her sweet and tasty no meat burger! Please remember to visits my march for babies site March For Babies . Remember to please donate or join us in the walk!  

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!!

I Call it the Cheesy Graham!!

Hello my sweets! So have you missed me?  I was doing some research, creating messes, and taking request! But it was cause of those crazy request that I came up with the yummy dish I like to call the Cheesy Graham!!  Ok so follow along to see how I got to the Madness that is so Delicious that I can almost guarantee you are camped outside my door right now.

So one person in the sweets circle requested a crumb cake, while another requested a cheese cake. Complying with both, I got the crazy idea to try something and perhaps combine the two! Of course while taking it up another notch I threw in some strawberries, and stumbled upon a yummy treat.   In the lab i took some fresh strawberries cut them up threw um in a pot and cooked them up. I got a sweet strawberry sauce that filled the air with the aroma of something good coming up. While that was stewing, I grabbed some graham crackers and started smashing them up for the crust, and whipped up my cheese cake filling. I made sure to make extra crust to have a nice crumbly top for my cheese cake. Got the pan ready, crust in filling poured then I took some of the strawberries and swirled it in the. I got a little crazier poured some of my strawberry mixture into the left over graham mixture, which I in turned sprinkled over the top of my cheese cake.  Popped it in the oven and waited, and thought of how I wonder if the two people that requested the crumb cake and the cheese cake would enjoy the combination.

From something simple came something incredible. Isn't that always how some of the best things come about? Well my sweets I have to run, today I quite possibly made one of the bigger messes! I want to make sure its nice and clean for tomorrow, because someone made another request, and I have an interesting way of how to pull it off! Till Tomorrow my sweets

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!!

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Rainy Monday Blues??

Talk about a Rainy Monday my sweets! What has you more down, the rain or the fact that its Monday?  I heard so many complaints, and even saw a lot of those Facebookers commenting about having the blues! So I thought what type of yummy treat would be great and very comforting. Then I thought ohhh something with peanut butter, cause who doesn't love peanut butter! I was speaking to someone very close to me who requested some brownies, so I figured why not combine the two!

Off to the laboratory ( what I like to call the kitchen remember)  to find me some ingredients I needed to help cure someone's Monday Blues. I decided if I wanted to make my brownies extra peanut butter then I would have to add both peanut butter spread, and also peanut butter chips. Reese's peanut butter cups have nothing on these brownies! Brownies tend to be an favorite of just about anyone you meet, and I know from my experience talking with people they all have certain ways they like their brownies. And of course some people like those " Special" ones, but from what I'm told those just make you even more hungry!

Heres a tip, whenever you are going to make brownies, and you would like to add something, for example chips, or perhaps you want each brownie when you bite into it to get that melty gooey center. The best way to achieve this is to freeze whatever it is that you want to melt in your brownie! I actually got the idea watching a cooking show a long time ago and the host was making some random food dish and she was making a gravey that she wanted to melt when you put your fork into the meal.  It actually works for great for another sweet treat that we will speak about in a another time! Its a dish I created in honor of my bestest best, and named after her, one in which she swears when I have my own bakery will be the number one seller!

I digress,  back to today's brownies! When making brownies, I find that you can do a couple of things that might mess up the mix so to speak. Your brownie can be to fudgey ( I know what your thinking never, however there is such a thing as too much fudge!) which can make it heavy and dense. Its a brownie that is not moist at all, and it is not a pleasant treat. You can also burn the edges very easily, which ruins the fun cause the edges are possible 90% of peoples favorite part (i'm partial to the center myself).  Quick tip to help avoid this, whatever the recipe calls for, whether is the box brownie or from scratch, just add a little more water. For example if it says 1/4, go for 1/3. The tiniest bit does help. The reason I say this is because, recipes for brownies differ so much, I really don't think any specific on is right. Thats just my opinion. Why don't you tell me yours? Please feel free to leave a comment regarding brownies and recipes you've tried.

Anywho my sweets I'm off!  Please remember to visit our facebook and twitter pages, also if you haven't already please visit my March of Dimes page by visiting March of Babies! Its really important that we help out the babies, after all we were all once babies right!

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!!

Did I really get inspiration from that!

Hello my sweets! Did you enjoy yesterday's blog? Little Self promotion for my March of Babies walk. Did you notice the cute baby? Well that is the main reason I'm doing this, she along with both of mother and father mean a great deal to me!  Isn't she adorable! Remember to visit my site by clicking on the link March for Babies!

Ok So now for Today's treat! How many of you watch the Show Jersey Shore? I don't normally watch it, I find it to be stupid, but I don't judge those who like it. As I always say to each their own.  Last night I was having a bit of trouble sleeping, and was flipping through the channels, and then I came across the show. They were making fun of one of the girls because she was having issues lets say in the bathroom area.  My first thought was, well she needs a nice big slice of my Grandma Kate's Prune Cake! Ok so it was a funny thought,  but my this yummy prune cake wouldn't really make her go to the lavatory, well maybe if she ate the whole thing by herself! I was able to get to sleep eventually but when I woke up this morning I was wondering about that cake.

For those of you who are a little skeptical, I understand.  Prunes tend to have a little slight negative connotation making people think oh lordy I'm going be in the bathroom all night! To tell you the truth just about 90% of things can have that very same occurrence, so stop worrying that a little prune will make you go running for the office.  Also the benefits of prunes are amazing, and they are a fulfilling healthy little treat.  And this cake is actually a very delish, moist, yummy, flavorful treat! 

Now you can find a lot of recipes online for this cake, however I used an old recipe of my Grandmothers.  Its got a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but its well worth all the hard work.   You can make it as a bundt, or as a loaf, or even layer cakes. Ice it, do whatever you want with this flavor cake, you can't go wrong.  In my opinion its different. How many people do you know are going around making a prune cake? Try it, and I guarantee people will enjoy it, and be pleased its not the norm.  Its also a recipe that the more you add to it, the better it gets.

Ok so from a crazy show, I got a crazy thought, and decided to make a cake not normally on the top of most baking list. However the results are fantastic. The flavor of each slice only magnifies the aroma through out the house from making it.  I lightly dusted the top with some confectioners sugar and it wasn't long before everyone in my house was waiting for a piece. I suggest next time you come knocking on my door you ask for a piece! Till Tomorrow my Sweets!

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!

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Who wants a piece of the Armadillo?

Hello My Sweets! Are we all happy its Friday?? I know I am. Rain or not I am going to have a good day, even if it makes me see RED! Before I get today's treat though, I want to tug on your ear a little for something important.  I want you all to check out my March of Dimes Page and Donate or even join me in my walk to help babies!! This is a very special walk close to my heart, because of one amazingly special baby that I love so much, and I also love her parents very much as well. I'm doing this walk for her, and I would love all of your support! So Please Check out my page!!  March for Babies!! Please bear in mind I'm gonna keep reminding you of that up to the walk and then some! This is a very important cause!!

Now My Sweets, are you wondering why I'm seeing Red? Perhaps I'm gotten upset at something like the Red Queen and your waiting for me to yell OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!! You would be so wrong though! Sometimes seeing red is a good thing. Just ask my honey, he has a weakness for red heads who wear glasses. Just saying.  Sometimes seeing red can be funny and make you chuckle. Not really a fan of chick flicks so much, but there are a few that I have always loved. One Perhaps many regard as a classic, and there is one particular scene involving an armadillo cake, that when people hacked into it look liked the poor thing was bleeding to death. Sounds gruesome, however it has to be one of the funniest things ever. Who in the world would ask for an grooms cake like that, but it made for good movie time! If you haven't seen the movie your probably wondering what kind of cake  that was shaped like a grey armadillo,  can look like its bleeding. Answer Red Velvet. And let me tell you, when done right, it likes velvety goodness in your mouth! 

Red Velvet is actually just another form of chocolate cake. If you want to head to your local store and grab a box from the shelf or you can get messy like I love to do. There is a lot of ways you can get the red coloring , either from red food dye or from beet root. For Those video gamers in you, remember Super Mario 2, and how Mario or Toad or whatever player you choose would yank something out the ground?  Well that something was a beet root! Hidden message to eat your vegetables in video games, next time pay close attention to that black ops! Today I wanted to make an all natural, vegan red velvet cupcake, so we are going with the beet root, and of course a little something extra to give it a nice deep red coloring. Be careful however, beet root can stain, and so can red velvet batter. Someone might think you were hacking away at someone!! Also remember by vegan means we are not using any dairy products or anything that comes from animals, its100% all natural. The natural flavors actually combine creating a nice smooth taste.  So its a treat everyone can eat, and you won't miss any of the other ingredients, believe if you try out a vegan recipe they aren't hard, and pass it off as regular no one will tell the difference!  I like to top it off with a nice vegan butter cream icing that is light and fluffy! 

These Vegan Cupcakes are so yummy and velvety in your mouth, and foodie will be red with embarrassment when he claims to be able to tell the difference between a traditional and vegan cupcake. No one who eats these will miss those other ingredients!  Well Sweets I'm off for some Friday Fun! Remember to Vote in the poll, and visit us on Twitter. Don't forget to visits March For Babies!! and donate or join the walk! Till tomorrow...

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!! 

Nostalgia brings Old Fashion Fun !

Is it possible for the days to drag on, yet the week already be pretty much done my sweets? Time is a tricky thing.  Today as I was debating what exactly I was going to make, and cleaning my Kitchen, my mind began to wander down memory lane. I remembered one story in particular about how I got my very first Kitchen Aide mixer. 

You see I like most people I have a list of things I would like to buy for myself if I had extra money ( I actually have another term for this, but trying to be pg here). A Kitchen Aide Mixer was and is always on top of my list! I would love to have two, especially the new ones that have all the gadgets and attachments. Alas so it was something My grandmother and I always discussed, we both wanted one, but they are rather expensive, compared to your regular hand mixer.  My Grandmother, if you were one of the lucky to have met her you know  how wonderful she was, and I were in her room one day and we actually happen to be discussing the Kitchen Aide Mixer, and going through some boxes and having a debate about Mocha Cake.  When I came across a box that had my cousins name on it, my grandmother and I decided to open the box and in it we found a brand new Kitchen Aide Mixer.  Heres the thing about the box, it was one of those boxes you use for shipping, with the address for the to and from on.  There was no address on it, just my cousins name, a cousin who actually had passed away 2 years earlier. Not to mention it was a box, neither one of us had ever seen before. FREAKY !! And an absolute TRUTH! We liked to joke that it was my cousins gift to us from Heaven.

I bet your asking, what's the point of this story? Well Duh its how I got the idea for today's treat! As my mind wandered, and memories began warming my heart, I thought of my Grandma, and how she was the one who taught me some of my favorite recipes, so it hit me. Make one of her favorites, Good Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies.  The soft yummy kind. Now I don't have anything against the crunchy ones, but I've always had a thing for Soft Oatmeal cookies, kinda like the ones Archway makes. So of course when I worked out the perfect recipe to get m home made soft oatmeal cookies, imagine my excitement, and I knew Grandma would be proud!

Got my mixer ready to make some yummy cookie dough, and started preheating the oven! As per usual I was making a mess, which is really fun for me, till of course I have to clean it up.  You can always add things to your oatmeal mix, berries, or chocolate chips, raisins. You can even ice them after their done with a quick glaze you whip up. This happens to be one of the very few recipes I however like to keep traditional, to keep that nostalgic essence I've always loved. 

With a nice big glass of milk in hand I waited for the yummies to come out of the oven. What is it about Oatmeal cookies I wondered, that makes people yearn for the good old days? Perhaps that is something my fellow bloggest can comment on and leave their stories and feelings for this cookie. My kitchen smells yummy and something tells me the cookies are ready, and that something is the person in the kitchen trying to get the cookies before I get there.  Remember everyone to vote in the latest poll, I see so far Chocolate is winning! If you disagree, there is still time! Please remember to follow us on Twitter to see what we are up to or check us out on Facebook by searching from bradleysweets@gmail.com. You can also view and comment on our photo albums of all the yummy treats we make! 

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!

Hop aboard the Pineapple Express!!

Its another Hump Day My Sweets! It also happens to be my Father's 76th Birthday so today's baked dish is honor of him.  Between us, this excites him, he loves being the center of peoples attention, any and every day and especially today! He truly is a crazy Old Man. To Celebrate his most favorite day of the year, why not make his most favorite cake ever. Pineapple Upside Cake. But of course if I'm making it, you know its got some twist on the classic. i like to call my version The Pineapple Express, no not the like the movie, but I guarantee it will hit the spot if you have munchies! 

 Into the kitchen I went digging through my cake pan closet and came across one of those flexi cake molds, the kind that is well, flexible.  I thought its been a while lets go with a bundt, and instantly I made myself giggle thinking of the scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding, where the mom is perplexed by the hole in the bundt cake so she puts a flower in it ! HAHA This cake also brought back some other nostalgic memories as I remember it was one of the first cakes my Grandma ever taught me how to make. And she always taught me when making a recipe, make it your own, and create whatever you think will taste best. She always did enjoy my experiments! On her advice whenever I decide I'm going to make a flavorful cake such as this, its best to go ahead and add as much of that flavor as I can. Traditionally Pineapple upside down cake consists of yellow fluffy cake, topped with caramelized pineapples slices or caramelized chopped pineapple. My version however is anything but traditional. Making this cake when pineapples are in season is always yummy and fresh, however since its not really the season yet, I'm going with the canned variety that you can get at any local store. I got both rings, and the chopped cause we are about to get crazy! 

When making my batter, I like to use some of the pineapple juice that comes with the canned pineapple. It not only makes it moist but gives the actual cake a nice hint of pineapple flavor.  While my big old mixer was combining all the wet and dry ingredients, I got my flexi bundt pan ready. After I greased it up, Flexi or not you have to grease the pan to make the cake come out nice and easy, I placed some of the pineapple slices on the bottom of the pan. The greasing of the pan and keeping the pineapples on the bottom actually help in making the slices turn a nice caramel color. Next I pour the batter over the pineapple and let it even out nicely. Wondering is that all, not on the likely,  remember I like to make this as pineapplely as possible.  So I grabbed my chopped pineapple and spread it out over the top of the batter. While it is in the oven baking the chopped pineapple will slowly sink into the batter thus making sure that every bite of cake will have some pineapple in it.  Make sure if you try this to spread the chopped pineapple evenly over the top, don't worry it won't all sink into the same places, it will actually distribute through out the cake. 

After the cake is done and you have flipped it and taken it out of the mold , if using the flexi be very careful because it can stick or fall apart ( I remember one time My mom, well thats a story for another cake), and its cooling, you can admire the nice golden brown color of the pineapple slices and cake itself.  What I like to do however, is make a quick and easy coconut glaze to pour over the top. The strong coconut flavor actually intensifies the pineapple making for a tropical explosion in your mouth!

If you thought our little tropical excursion was fun, and were planning on coming over to sing Happy Birthday to get a piece, you can hold those horses! Seems my father has already gotten to the cake, and enjoyed a nice big slice! He also said he doesn't plan on sharing!  After last year I should have remembered to make 2, one for my dad and 1 for everyone else! Well My sweets its present time, Till tomorrow ...

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!

Tuesday's Anything but Complicated

Hello My Sweets! Could it be just me or is today the most unbearably long day! It just feels likes its dragging and going on forever! Did you all enjoy the yummy treats we whipped up yesterday? I know Pyper is still enjoying them! Just when you thought my blog might have gone to the dogs, I got inspiration to create a yummy treat thanks to Mr. Steve Martin and of course Meryl Streep! 

Yesterday my number one honey and I were enjoying a nice relaxing presidents day off catching up on some movies, like the movie buffs we are. We decided to see a movie that we haven't had a chance to yet, even though its been around for a bit now, the movie It's Complicated, Staring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin,and of course Steve Martin. Its a story of a divorced couple reuniting while also being courted by other loves. Now I won't give the story away for you, but I do suggest you go run out and see it. It was a funny movie and might I say I did enjoy John Krasinski ( AKA Jim from the office) as Harley, what a character! I bet your wondering how could I have gotten inspiration for a sweet treat from this movie? Well for those of you who haven't seen it, Meryl Streep plays the owner of a bakery, and she whips up some yummy food through out the movie, but there is one that stood out to me as being yummy, and I'm sure Steve Martin felt the same! He specifically requested The Chocolate Croissant, which is something that looked so yummy I had to try it!

Off to the kitchen I went to see just exactly how I was going to produce something as yummy as it looked in the movie! Now I admit I would love to open my own bakery some day and share my most favorite and special recipes with everyone, I am not there yet. As such I don't have all the fun gadgets that Ms. Streep, oh ok Meryl, had in her Bakery, like the dough press, that flattened her dough for her. All I have is a rolling pin, and some elbow grease! Let me tell you, having to roll the dough very thin for these croissants will be something I will most defiantly be feeling in the morning. No matters though, the yummy tasting treats will be well worth it. Flour flying everywhere, chocolate melting, dough so thin you could see through it, egg wash spilling over, among other things made for one messy laboratory.  By the time I got the dough cut into triangles using a pizza cutter and placing them on my baking sheet with chocolate in the middle and rolling them up, I was covered in flower which was mixing with the egg wash making for a icky sticky doughy fingers. I used the egg wash to brush the top of my croissants to give them a shiny flaky crust, so I guess the doughy fingers were just part of the job.

As I waited for the pastries to come out of the oven, I imagined how you would spice them up a little. Maybe Drizzle some melted chocolate over the top ( whatever color you like), or perhaps a quick glaze. When the delicacies were ready, my first thought was a new way to feed the chocolate addiction!  I don't want to toot my own horn, but I think I would have made Meryl, and even a French pastry artist proud! My inner Julia Child was going mmmm. The warm flaky crust and the gooey melted chocolate in the middle, I was in Chocolate Heaven I tell you! Even cold I'm sure this will taste yummy, but you can always pop them in the microwave for a quick few seconds to warm them up. 

So, how do you like today's Treat? I recommend next time you want to make something special like breakfast in bed for your hunny, make sure to add a Chocolate Croissant.  They will be thanking you all day ! Defiantly go check out It's Complicated, I'm sure you will heart Steve Martin as much as I do. Make sure to vote in the all new poll, there was a tie last week Strawberry Shortcake and Dipped fruit took the prize. Also Follow us on Twitter @bradleysweets and friend us on facebook: bradleysweets@gmail.com Till the next yummy adventure

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!